A second case of measles has been confirmed in Erie County, raising concerns among public health officials who say the source of the infection remains unknown and may indicate additional undetected cases in the community.
RELATED: Second case of measles confirmed in Erie County
The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) announced that laboratory testing by the New York State Department of Health confirmed a measles infection in a county resident on June 9. The case follows the county’s first reported measles infection since 2018, which was announced on June 4.
Unlike the first case, which involved an unvaccinated child who recently traveled to a country experiencing a significant measles outbreak, the second infected individual has no reported history of travel outside Erie County.
Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein said investigators have found no connection between the two cases.
“We’ve conducted a pretty thorough investigation and so far we cannot identify a source,” Burstein told WGRZ-TV’s Claudine Ewing. “These two cases, we’ve not found any relationship, any contact between them or their family members.”
The lack of an identifiable source is troubling, Burstein said.
“That means there is at least one person walking around in the community that has measles and has been infecting at least one other person,” she said.
According to the health department, the infected individual visited two public locations while contagious, potentially exposing others to the highly infectious virus.
Potential exposure locations include:
-1021 Broadway in Buffalo, which houses multiple businesses and organizations, including Jericho Road Community Health Center and Broadway Pediatrics, on June 4 between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
-Golisano Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Emergency Department at 818 Ellicott St. on June 6 between 10 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Officials noted that the measles virus can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
ECDOH is working with the affected facilities to identify and notify individuals who may have been exposed. Those who were present at the listed locations and are unsure of their immunity status are being advised to monitor for symptoms for 21 days following exposure.
Measles symptoms typically begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose and watery or red eyes before a distinctive rash develops, often starting on the face and spreading downward across the body. Symptoms generally appear 10 to 12 days after exposure but can develop anywhere from seven to 21 days later.
Burstein emphasized that measles is far more serious than many people realize.
“Measles is more than just a rash. It’s a very, very serious infection,” she said, noting that complications can include pneumonia, brain inflammation and, in rare cases, death.
Nationally, measles cases have increased amid declining vaccination rates. Burstein attributed part of the trend to vaccine misinformation and hesitancy.
“People are listening to misinformation, incorrect information, disinformation, bad social media,” she said. “The measles, mumps, rubella vaccine is very, very effective and we also know it is very, very safe.”
Health officials confirmed that both recent Erie County measles patients were not vaccinated against the disease. Both individuals are recovering at home and have not experienced serious complications.
The health department continues to urge residents to verify their vaccination status. Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine provide approximately 97% protection against measles infection.
“If you’re not sure of your immunization status, talk to your healthcare provider,” Burstein said. “The more people that are immunized, the lower the risk that we will have another case.”
Anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with measles is advised to call a healthcare provider before seeking treatment in person to help prevent additional exposures.
More information about measles and vaccination is available through the Erie County Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When it comes to vaccination numbers, here’s what the Erie County Health Department provided.
“The data point we have for children with (at least) 1 MMR dose by age 2 years (Jan 2026) is 86.2% in Erie County. (NYSDOH)”
Johns Hopkins published data from 2024 that showed ~98% of NYS kindergartners had the two-dose MMR series.